Officials work to calm fears over coyotes

Johnston residents have reported dozens of coyote sightings in just the past few months and now officials are working to calm fears.

On Thursday night, residents met with wildlife experts to discuss the potential problem.

Donna Pierce knows she lives near coyotes. Dozens of sightings have been called into the Johnston Police Department.

Many calls came from Pierce’s neighborhood where city meets country, where homes back up to farm fields and timber.

It's enough to make owners of small animals change their habits.

Carroll Mitchell lives right across from Summit Middle School, and has seen coyotes on three different occasions. She worries about her small dog.

“We've been keeping an eye out on him, don't let him out at night by himself, at all, even though we have a fenced in yard. And every time we bring him out here we're out here with him,” said Mitchell.

The Johnston Police Department has received so many coyote calls they decided to bring in some experts to calm the locals.

Johnston Police Chief Bill Vaughn said his officers have orders to take appropriate action if a coyote is menacing humans or pets, but he emphasized firing a high-powered rifle in a neighborhood is a last resort.

"I'm going to be very safe and deliberate in my approach and officer’s approach to shoot or don't shoot," said Vaughn.

Johnston residents got to see a coyote up close, courtesy of the Pella Wildlife Company. It allowed everyone to see a large, 30-pound coyote and realize that the shy animal is smaller than many domestic dogs.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says trapping coyotes doesn't work. Usually they just wind up catching area cats and dogs

The message is coyotes are not an animal to be afraid of, and get used to seeing them. They've always been here.

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